Malcolm X Quotes

My country, right or wrong," is a thing that no patriot would think of saying, except in a desperate case. It is like saying, "My mother, drunk or sober.

So long as my voice can be heard on this or the other side of the Atlantic, I will hold up America to the lightning scorn of moral indignation. In doing this, I shall feel myself discharging the duty of a true patriot; for he is a lover of his country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins.

We do not consider patriotism desirable if it contradicts civilized behavior.

I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that you love a country is by seeing everything that it's done wrong, all of its mistakes, and still thinking that it's beautiful and that it's worthy.

I define nothing. Not beauty, not patriotism. I take each thing as it is, without prior rules about what it should be.

Patriotism without criticism has no head; criticism without patriotism has no heart..

Let us abandon this narrow conception of patriotism, which consists of the doctrine, "My country right or wrong." There is a nobler doctrine, ... "My country must always be right.

When a whole nation is roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart.

Patriotism, when it wants to make itself felt in the domain of learning, is a dirty fellow who should be thrown out of doors.

Anyone entrusted with power will abuse it if not also animated with the love of truth and virtue, no matter whether he be a prince, or one of the people.

It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance.

My country right or wrong; when right, to keep her right; when wrong, to put her right.

Well, purity - there's no purity in politics.

Seeing reality for what it is is what we call discernment. The work of discernment is very hard.

It means, people who are in high and responsible positions, if they go against righteousness, righteousness itself will get transformed into a destroyer.

Treason doth never prosper, what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it Treason.

Wrong is for other people.

Man may aspire to virtue, but he cannot reasonably aspire to truth.

Critics should stick to their convictions.

A good historian is timeless; although he is a patriot, he will never flatter his country in any respect.

When we value correct principles, we have truth - a knowledge of things as they are.

Truth is absolute, truth is supreme, truth is never disposable in national political life.

Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be.

I love my country too much to be a nationalist.

Patriotism is seen not only the last refuge of the scoundrel bus as the first bolt-hole of the hypocrite.